Magic is incredible.
With it, it's perfectly possible to perform movements far beyond human limits.
Crushing rocks with a punch? Easy.
Run twice as fast as a horse? Absolutely.
But the first thing you needed to know was that fighting with magic was totally different from fighting without it. The experience with Dohnaseek was enough to address this, and now that Seiji also had magic, the difference was even more noticeable.
Because of magic and the basic specifications of the other races, physical statistics are on a whole different level.
For example, physical strength. People can lift another person with one hand. Even Seij, who was a Knight and not a Rook, could do this easily with enough magic. Because of this alone, many of the fighting techniques become obsolete. Even if they mounted someone, they could jump high just by flexing their abdominal muscles. Even if they put someone in a guard position, they could send them flying with just one leg.
What's more, the speed and distance of their steps are different - and that's not even to mention mages, who cast spells from afar. In this supernatural world, the maai are seen differently. And, actually, that was the most important thing.
Martial arts are, in essence, a fight for maai. Distance, angle and positioning, that's what fighting is all about.
Seiji had to train the basics again in order to establish his maai again.
The maai in this world can be so distant. Whether by those who had fast speeds, could fly or were long-range attackers. It's not as if Seiji didn't understand, but it was a little frustrating. People who stand so far apart because their defense techniques are underdeveloped.
The opponent's attack is scary, isn't it? Being in a place where his attacks can't hit you is safer, isn't it?
So that's why fights become nothing more than dull repetitions of opponents running to make an attack before running back to escape.
Hit and run, yeah?
Sorry, useless back-and-forth movements don't count as hitting and running.
Five meters or a hundred meters are equally useless. It might be different with spells, but if you're using martial arts, that distance is unnecessary. Six, seven or ten meters, it's all the same.
There's no point in that, so let's just walk closer and decrease the distance, right?
It's only from a certain distance that you find meaning. The huge difference between a millimeter, which is maai. Whether the attacks will hit, whether the opponent can react in time. Considering the angle, position and various other things, gaining or losing advantage by moving half a step to the side or tilting your blade a certain degree. It was by no means just running five meters to make an attack before jumping back six meters.
All the preconceptions of fighting with and without magic confused Seiji for a few days, but he was making progress and was close to determining his own maai.
Magic had an undeniable effect on the physical body. Devils were naturally stronger and, with the Knight piece, Seiji's speed was even better. If so, he could establish and extend his maai depending on the circumstances.
His latest as-yet-unnamed sword technique could be considered a flying slash. As long as Seiji could properly feed his Will with his magic, he could use the technique over great distances, as far as his maai could expand.
The experimentation with magic had also gone well. It might have been his own body, but Seiji had no qualms about trying different kinds of things until he was satisfied.
Not this, not that, maybe this way, maybe that way...
Seiji had a lot of fun with his experiments.
His magical control rose exponentially, as did his reserve. He became more refined, denser and stronger. Until resorting to it became second nature.
It was at the end of fifteen days in seclusion that Seiji felt satisfied and finished his training. His food supply had run out, as he had only prepared for ten days. His clothes were all tattered and stained with his own blood. He had deep circles under his eyes and disheveled hair. However, there was a satisfied smile on his face.
The marks of deep slashes in the ground being the remnants of his training.
^*^
Rias and Akeno teleported out of the club room, leaving the others with Hyoudou Issei, their new Pawn.
The crimson-haired girl hoped she wouldn't regret the decision she had made.
"Ise-kun was pretty impressive back there, Buchou~"
Akeno followed alongside with an amused smile. The ferocity of the Pawn who defied his King's words. Even though she knew Rias's real intentions, she was still surprised by the new servant who had joined the peerage.
"I don't know if it's courage or recklessness on Ise's part."
What was wrong with her new servants?
Was there something wrong with the reincarnation process?
"Both could be a good thing in this situation~"
Akeno added, fulfilling her role as Queen and best friend.
Rias also found herself agreeing. Making the gears turn the way she wanted, even if it was through recklessness. She could take advantage of that.
Now... if only her other servant would be like that too.
Rias was kind enough not to want to force him, but after disappearing for a fortnight, worry and anger had reached their limits.
Even more so when Rias thought that he had received the news about devils well.
She knew that Seiji wasn't dead simply because he hadn't received his knighthood again. So the likely option was that he had chosen to run away.
That was the case until she unexpectedly felt the presence of her new Knight, who had been missing for days.
To say that Rias wasn't happy was sophistry.
Knocking on the door of the house she had discovered Seiji lived in, she only had to wait a few seconds before it was opened.
A topless boy with wet hair and dark eyes greeted her. There were dark circles under his eyes, indicating an extensive lack of sleep.
"Ara ara~"
Akeno was the first to react, letting out her Ufufu laugh as she took a good look at the sight of Seiji shirtless.
She hadn't paid as much attention to this detail the first time because taking care of Seiji's situation was more important. But now, she could look as much as she wanted.
And she liked.
"... It's you. Can I help?"
Seiji's voice sounded low and lethargic. It was as if he was preparing to hibernate for two long decades at least.
A tic appeared on Rias's face and she struggled to hold back the urge to scream. Although it wasn't easy, especially with Seiji staring stupidly at her with a blank face and a tired look, and his Queen laughing at her predicament.
"Let's talk. And quickly. We don't have much time."
Rias knew that Issei, Kiba and Koneko were already moving towards the church.
If she didn't want them to be trapped, she needed to go and help right away. And as a toast and also a way of easing her stress, she would drag Seiji along.
Seiji made room for them to pass and let them settle down on one of the sofas.
It was only at a glance that Rias noticed that it wasn't a very spacious house, as well as being simply and darkly decorated.
Seiji lived alone.
This was among the information she had obtained.
Without even ordering tea or any other drink, Rias sat down and crossed her legs, putting even more emphasis on her thick thighs.
"Where have you been for the last few days? Disappearing like that without warning is bad. We could have declared you a lost devil, Seiji."
Lost devils were devils who ran away from their masters or betrayed them. In both cases, they received an extermination order for it.
Just a few days ago, the entire peerage carried out a similar order, killing the lost devil Viser.
"Training."
Seiji held back a long yawn as he exchanged a glance between the two girls wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform.
With his recent magic training, he had gotten better at sensing magic around him. And now, he could better tell the level of the two girls.
Akeno still had more than twice as much magic as Seiji, and Rias was superior to her by a small margin. However, Rias' magic seemed more intense than Akeno's.
"Ara ara~"
Akeno, the best at sensing energy between the two, had noticed Seiji's growth. She wondered why, and now she had received her answer. Even though it was impressive for Seiji to grow so much in just fifteen days of training.
Devils grew up fulfilling contracts. Or that's how Rias taught Hyoudou Issei. Since Seiji had been away and hadn't taken part in any peerage activities, he shouldn't have experienced this growth.
"And you didn't think to warn me? Don't forget, Seiji. I'm your King now. You're a devil, there are so many different things we have to put in order first. You barely know how we work."
Rias continued to pour out words with a tic on his forehead, trying his best not to raise his voice.
But his efforts were met with a long yawn from Seiji. He was completely unconcerned by the reprimand and didn't seem sorry at all.
Just as Rias felt she was about to lose her temper, she felt Akeno's hand on her shoulder.
"Ufufu~ Seiji-kun likes to do things at his own pace, doesn't he? What a naughty boy~"
Akeno had always thought of him as someone detached from the world around him. That was why she always tried to tease him when she had the chance, even when she hardly got a reaction. It never seemed like he was really looking at her, even though his eyes were turned in her direction.
The best she got was when he had just turned into a devil and she was naked.
Akeno didn't think Seiji would change so easily, devil or not. Rias wouldn't have an easy time guiding him as she did the Pawn, since words and promises seemed to do little good.
"But now Buchou, our King, will need your help, Seiji-kun."
But there had to be something that interested him. And Akeno thought he might know what it was.
In fact, it might even be obvious.
Fighting a fallen angel and jumping straight into training when the chance arose.
He must have liked fighting. Or the thrill of having power.
"Your experience against fallen angels and your strength... we can use them now."
Just as he imagined, this caught Seiji's attention and he looked at the two.
The ease with which his languid face changed to one of anticipation was impressive.
"Ise, Yuuto and Koneko, my precious servants, are advancing against the fallen angels and exorcists to save a girl. And you're going along to help them."
Rias hadn't yet seen how strong Seiji was. But he had already defeated a fallen angel while he was still human. Whether or not he could replicate that same level of power, his help was welcome right now.
And that was all the explanation Seiji needed.
"Let's go!"
The previous languor disappeared and he moved to pick up the katana hanging on the wall. As he did so, he stood next to the girls, anxious.
Akeno laughed as Rias rubbed his face in frustration. A long sigh came from his red lips.
"You can't go like this! Get ready first! Put a shirt on!"
Rias didn't mind the nudity. But they were going into battle!
Seiji looked ready to refute, but Rias's fierce face stopped him. With his head down, he entered the next door, which seemed to be his room.
"And what kind of training did you do, Seiji?"
"Magic, obviously."
A suspicion began to dawn on Rias.
Seiji must have been new to the supernatural world. He shouldn't know about magic. And if he had tried it on his own, it was incredibly reckless. Perhaps even more so than his Pawn, who would go up against fallen angels at their base to save an excommunicated nun, when he himself was a devil.
"Alone? What kind of understanding do you have of magic? You should have come to us. As King, it's my duty to help. Akeno is an expert in magic and could teach you. You need to rely on us more, Seiji. We're a family now."
Rias continued speaking with growing frustration, but the only response he received was silence from Seiji.
It was Akeno who spoke next.
"Isn't Seiji-kun talking about demonic power? His reserves have grown a lot since we last met~"
Rias' eyes widened and Akeno nodded in confirmation.
Whatever or however Seiji had trained, it had worked.
"Demonic power and magic are different things~"
"Saying magic is better."
He replied as he returned to the room, now wearing a dark shirt next to his sweatpants. His katana, placed in a suitable backpack, was slung over his shoulder.
Mana, ki, qi, aura, magical power, divine power, demonic power...
Any action that involved this supernatural energy was magic.
Creating fire, water or lightning. Punching mountains or slashing them in half. It's all magic.
So when he punched someone in the face with a force that shouldn't have been possible and they asked: "What was that?", he could answer:
Magic, bitches!